The nutrition of manChittenden, R. H. (Russell Henry)
Science
The nutrition of man
Chittenden, R. H. (Russell Henry)
Nutrition
Exogenous metabolism is plainly a process of quite a different order
from that of endogenous, or tissue metabolism. The latter involves
oxidation, while the former consists essentially of a series of
hydrolytic cleavages which result in a rapid elimination of the
proteid-nitrogen as urea. In this conception of exogenous katabolism,
we have essentially the same viewpoint as was previously taken in
attempting to explain how excess of proteid food can be so quickly
decomposed, and its nitrogen removed from the body. Whether the
hydrolytic cleavage is accomplished solely by trypsin and erepsin,
whether it takes place only in the intestine and in the liver,
or whether other glands and tissues are involved, is at present
immaterial; the essential point is that we have in the body a variety
of proteid katabolism, quite different from true tissue katabolism, the
extent of which is dependent primarily upon the amount of proteid food
consumed. The process involved is one which aims at the rapid removal
of the proteid-nitrogen as urea; without incorporation of the absorbed
proteid, or its decomposition products, either as an integral or
adherent part of the tissue proteid. Hydrolytic cleavage is eminently
fitted to accomplish this with the least expenditure of energy, while
the carbonaceous residue of the proteid thus freed from nitrogen can be
transformed into carbohydrate, or directly oxidized as the needs of the
body demand.
As one considers these views so admirably worked out by Folin, the
question naturally arises, if the real demands of the body for proteid
food will not be adequately met by the quantity necessary to satisfy
the true tissue metabolism? We may well believe, with Folin, that “only
a small amount of proteid, namely, that necessary for the endogenous
metabolism, is needed. The greater part of the proteid furnished with
so-called standard diets, like Voit’s, _i. e._, that part representing
the exogenous metabolism, is not needed; or, to be more specific, its
nitrogen is not needed. The organism has developed special facilities
for getting rid of such excess of nitrogen, so as to get the use of
the carbonaceous part of the proteid containing it.” In endogenous
metabolism, we have a steady, constant process quite independent of
the amount of proteid food, and absolutely indispensable for the
maintenance of life. So far as we know at present, its representative
creatinin is, for a given individual, the same in amount during
fasting as when a rich, meat-free, proteid diet is taken. The one
factor that seemingly determines the amount of creatinin eliminated is
the weight of the individual, or more exactly the weight of the true
tissue elements of the body, as distinct from fat or adipose tissue.
Endogenous or tissue katabolism obviously calls for a certain quantity
of proteid to maintain equilibrium, but this is small in amount as
compared with the usual intake of proteid foods. The average man, with
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